Photo: Instagram.
The tennis star is ready to fight.
By Alexandra Blogier — Written on Jan 03, 2023
'Real Housewives of Miami' star Julia Lemigova reacted to her wife Martina Navratilova’s recent cancer diagnosis on Instagram.
Former tennis star Navratilova announced on January 2, 2023, that she’s been diagnosed with stage 1 throat cancer and stage 1 breast cancer.
Lemigova, 50, posted a photo of herself and Navratilova, 66, with their dog to Instagram on that same day.
Julia Lemigova is standing by Martina Navratilova amid her cancer diagnosis.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out to share words of support,” Lemigova wrote. “Together, we will fight this.”
Lemigova’s post received over 16,000 likes and over 1,000 comments.
Lemigova later posted a video to her grid of Navratilova celebrating a "fun evening with friends."
"Even in the tough times, always find moments to relax and have fun," she advised.
Navratilova reported that she discovered an enlarged lymph node in her neck in November during the 2022 Women’s Tennis Association Finals in Fort Worth, TX.
A subsequent biopsy revealed that she has throat cancer. Further testing showed that she also has a recurrence of breast cancer.
She’s received a diagnosis of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is one of the more treatable forms of cancer.
Navratilova was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, for which she underwent a lumpectomy.
She reported that when she was initially diagnosed with breast cancer 13 years ago, at age 53, she cried briefly, then asked her doctor “What do we do? What’s the next step?”
Commenting on her current diagnosis, Navratilova has hope.
“This double whammy is serious but still fixable, and I’m hoping for a favorable outcome,” Navratilova announced. “It’s going to stink for a while, but I’ll fight with all I have got.”
Navratilova has a fighting spirit, shown not only by her 59 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles but also by beating her previous breast cancer.
She reported a good prognosis this time around, although she will no longer attend the 2023 Australian Open.
Lemigova and Navratilova have been together since 2006. The two women got engaged at the US Open in September 2014, and married in December 2014.
The couple received an outpouring of loving and supportive messages on Instagram from RHOM castmates, including Adriana de Moura, who wrote, “Together we will win this battle,” alongside emoji hearts and prayer hands.
“We love you both and positive thoughts only,” Guerdy Abraira wrote.
Navratilova took to Twitter on January 2, after her announcement, to thank her supporters.
“I am not done yet,” she tweeted.
Navratilova is set to begin treatment this week, mostly in New York City.
Lemigova's Instagram post on New Year's Eve stated that "2022 was an amazing year full of its ups and downs," alongside photos of her and Navratilova together.
"I can't wait to see what 2023 has up its sleeve," she said.
Here's wishing the Real Housewives couple a year full of hope, strength, and better health.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.